Johann Maelzel's Metronome
A Metronome belonging to Johann Maelzel that developed life-sustaining properties. Background The Metronome activates when the user places one hand on the active Metronome while placing the other hand over the heart of the deceased. The user must think of the deceased when he/she was alive, eventually bringing them into a large white void with the deceased in sight. The user must avoid "going into the light" along with the deceased, which can be assumed to result in their death as well. The process is complete once the user manages to bring the deceased to him/her. Due to the risks taken while activating this artifact, it is highly recommended that the user has someone else to guide him/her through the process. As long as the Metronome keeps ticking the user can't die. However, when the pendulum stops swaying the powers that hold their life together stop as well. Also, the apparent downside is the one who used the metronome for resurrection takes the pain for both themselves and the resurrected. The only way for someone that's connected to the metronome to be free of it and not die is if the user commits an act of pure love. Usage This artifact's earliest known "deployment" was in the 1830s when it was used on the German composer Robert Alexander Schumann. In 1833, Schumann attempted to kill himself, but was unsuccessful due to the fact that his fiancee, Clara Wieck, used the metronome on him. Schumann later went insane because he was under the effects of the metronome indefinitely. In 1839, Schumann was finally able to separate his life from the metronome, allowing him to continue living once the metronome stopped ticking. The only explanation that he had was a poem, in which he wrote: "To live free of this heart one must first find one's own and make a pure start from whence one comes." The artifact was used again in 2011 on Marcus Diamond. Walter Sykes used the metronome on Marcus to make him virtually invincible, since Marcus would be unable to die while under the artifact's effects. In turn, Marcus was eternally in debt to Sykes, since Sykes could stop the ticking of the metronome, which would kill Marcus. The metronome was later collected by Claudia, who stopped it, killing Marcus. In 2012, Claudia used it to bring agent Steve Jinks back to life, unaware of any possible downsides. Once aware of the negative effects of the metronome, Steve insisted that they stop the metronome. Claudia protested, insisting that they could not stop the metronome, since she'd be able to "take his pain" while they figured out a solution. After Artie discovered Schumann's use of the metronome, Claudia and Steve believed there would be a way to separate him from the metronome without killing him. While visiting his Mother's home, Jinks destroyed the metronome to save his mom's life and in doing so separated himself from it. Real World Connections Johann Nepomuk Maelzel was a German inventor, engineer, and showman who manufactured and patented the metronome and several musical automatons. He didn't invent the metronome, but he improved upon its original design. He worked with Beethoven to give concerts where Beethoven would compose the music and Maelzel's automatons would perform around it. He gave shows using his automatons all across the U.S. Many of his mechanical performers are in museums now. Appearances Category:Artifacts Category:Damaged or Destroyed Artifacts Category:Resurgent artifacts Category:Season 3 Artifacts Category:Season 4 Artifacts